Loose leaf binder



Aug. 23, 1932.

J. SCHADE LfifififiS LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Oct. 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l 9 INVENTOR.

A Jew GHAE BY n 1 A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 23, 1932. J. SCHADE 1,372,825

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Oct. 15, 1931 2 Sheet'S-Sheet 2 g fl/ Q 4/ I 7 F g. 5 //W H i! as 4 7 5 I4 i j. E':i

1 INVENTOR.

0H N Saws BY f, ATTORNEYS..

Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT; orri cr.

Jonn sonann, or HOLYOKE, massaonusnrtrs; Assrsnon T0 NATION L BLANK BOOK COMPANY, or noLYoxn, mlissaonusnrrs, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS LOOSE LEAF BINDER Application filed October 15, 1931. Serial No. 568,967.

This'invention relates to improvements in loose leaf binders, particularly of the ring type. In the prior art, it is quite old to provide means so that the rings will notdistort the side covers of a ring binder. My invention consists in an improved method for making the binder having means to protect the side covers and in a binder of improved conpearin leather of sin le 1 and uite thin. b 7 D I so as to be veryflexibl e, the main problem of the invention is to protect such covers against taking permanently distorting impressions from the rings and to dothis as neatly andinvisibly as possible. Unless this is accomplished the binder will either have its covers distorted by the rings or its appearance changed by the additional parts to protect them. In the higher grades of flexible cover binders anything which requires a change in appearance or visible construction is a serious matter. Vihat is wanted is the simplest combination with the neatest appearance. v

The best embodiment of the invention and its method of construction are fullydiscl'osed in the accompanying drawings and following description.

Fig. 1 is a plan view ofa well known commercial form of ring binder, in wide open position, with one cover partially cut away to permit a larger scale. This view does not show the invention in the structure, as one object of the invention is to retain the appearance of such a binder as it was before the new constructional feature is added;

Fig. 2 is a section through a cover on the line 22 of Fig. 1, indicating the relation of the cover, pressure distributing strip, and the hinged edge of the cover;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one cover part before association with any metal part of the binder; 1

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a view showing a part of the top inner portion of the cover part of Fig. 3 laid right down to its hinge line.

back and how the metal-parts are assembled -on the corresponding lower portion;

Fig. 6 isa cross-section on line 66 of is- I Fig. 7 is a view like Fig.5 but showing a Q modified form of metal part in the form of a thin plate for the cover protector; I

Fig. 8 shows another modification in which. wires and plate are combinedg and Fig. 9 is a front view of the binder with its flexible cover-s pressed in by the hand, showing how such covers may be pressed against the binder rings in use and indicating the regions ofpressure distribution and fiexibiL ity desired in a ring binder according to the 5 invention in its best form.

The form ofloose leafbook or hinder illustrated, except for the details to be fully described below, is such a widely used commercial article that no full description of the metal. parts associated with the back to hold andmanipulate the rings 1- is necessary. It

along a line parallel and close to the sides of the ring plate 4. In the illustrated form the hinge part 5 on each cover is made of a strip of metal which is punched out, bent into U-form so as to make a narrow hinge plate of skeleton shape embracing the leather cover edge, and fastened to it'b'y spaced claws'6 entering the leather from each side and in staggered spaced relation in respect to claws on opposite sides. The scalloped U openings on the outer edge of the plate extend transback of the book, see Fig. 2. A single pintle extends through all these eyes and lies at the bottom of the U-bend in hinge part 5; One desirablecharacteristic of such a hinge is that the metal parts do extend only a-short distance transversely of the hinge line toward the outer edge of the book. They are fas tened .onto a very narrow edge of the cover part, so as to retain the flexibilityof the cover This is so desirablethat in some flexible ring binders, the

hinge line is made by a crease in the leather alone, and the advantages of a metal hinge are discarded because in the ordinary hinge,

V tne outerlplate needs to extend too far over the cover part andflexibility in the cover near the hinge line is lost. The particular metal hinge here indicated has been more fully described in issued patents. t is important here merely to emphasize thedesirability of a coverfflexibility at the hinge lineso th'atth'e cover will start to flex substantially at the" hinge line and be flexible all the way out to its side edge. This 5 s not a necessary feature of the present invention but it has-a relation to the most desirable structural combination aswill be pointed out. Itis enough hereto emphasize that is de'sirable to'avoid rigidity immediately adjacent the hinge line in the thin enough 5 to be flexible, of 'a single ply, "usually withits grain on the outer side and anice smooth finish to the-leather on the inner side.

split this cover between its outer'and inner surfaces,'as indicated at the left in Fig. l.

According to mymethod, I partially The leather splitting knife cuts in fromthe hinge edge to form two integral leaves or laminations 7 and 8 which merge integrally at Qinto the single ply of the cover stock and at a line spaced from the hinge edge and preferably less than the diameter of the'rings.

It is of distinct advantage tohave the inner lamination 7, that is-the one with the inner surface of the cover on it, of less thickness than'the outer one. The reason for this will pp ".-v

V The inner lamination 7 is turned back, and according to the preferred construction, a series of spring steel wires 10 are placed on the inner faceof the outer lamination 8 and along that Zone or region a, b, 0, cl, of the cover (see Fig. 8), between its top and bottom edges, where it is particularly desired to distribute the pressure exerted between the cover and rings as the book is used. These spring wires 10 are flexible and resilient, as in hatpin wire, for' example. I prefer to space them in parallel position about as indicated." This will increase the transverse flexibility of the cover stock between them,

at the region a, Z), 0, (Z. Whenthe wiresare' placed in position, the inner lamination 7 is brought down over them. The two lam1na tions 7 and 8 may thenbe cemented together with the wires between, in which case cement may be used over the whole contacting surface. But if desired, theend tabs 11 at top and bottom only may be cemented, or just the cut edges may be cemented to obliterate the cut, particularly at the topand bottom edges where the appearance is important. longitudinal edges of the cut, apart from the tabs, will be stapled together in anyevent by the claws 6 of the metal hingeconstruction. v After the wires have been placed between the laminations, it .is desirable, particularly in very'thin covers, to. rest the outer face of the cover ona perfectly flat surface and press the laminations 7 and 8 together with the The wires 10, for tight contact, as by a rubber pressure block, or a rubber hammer. Then if there is any tendency for the wires 1 to push up either surface of the cover, they will push up the inner surface, because the inner lamination was made thinner (see Fig." 4)

than the outer one and the latter is supported. by a flat surface in thefjoining operation.

The wires 10 may be made so small in section and being preferably spaced apart, that their impression will not show, but if the larger wires are used they may be of a size such that where their form is discernible at all on the outside surface of the cover stock it'will appear as if the leather had been very slightly scored to increase its flexibility near the hinge and not as if anything h ad been buried in the cover. And as an actual fact, with the T1 wires spaced apart, the ordinary longitudinal flexibilityof the leather cover adjacent the hinge line will be retained. In this conned tion I consider it desirable to have the wire nearest the hinge line spaced a suflicient distance from any metal of the hinge part (see Fig. 2), so as not to impair the desired flexibility of the cover immediately adja cent to the hinge line. 'As before stated, the particular type of hinge shown is of metal which permits its outer leaf to definitely yield with the cover movement. The "book .:keeps its appearance and wears better when such apparently small points are carefully provided for. By my described construction I I retain all the advantages ofa desired cover hinge construction and retain transverse cover flexibility while stiffening the cover in a limited zone from topto bottom, tojmake it resiliently flexible where it"is desired to w" bear the ring pressure,as Iwill point out;

Each cover 2 and 3 may be constructed as I have described. They are brought together and'hinged to the metal parts 15 of the back.

The tabs 11 abutand underlie themetal wparts extending'above and below the metal hinge length (see Fig. 1) and the back of the ,binder itself is in every Way joined to the covers in the usual way for its usual fine and simple appearance, as willbe fully une derstood by those skilled in the art. I

In theuse of such a binder as I'ha ve shown with'the new feature incorporated, the advantages are as follows: Whenever "the binder rings 1 are pressed against the cover, 1

as they are by the hand when the book is used (the conditionis indicated in Fig. 9

where all rings 1 are shown pressed against the covers) theinvisiblewireslO distribute such pressure up and down and particularly alongthe Zone defined by d, Z750, d, (see Fig.

3); This zone is generally "parallel to the hinge line. The pressure acts to bend the wires. And each of'the wireslO has enough stiffness and resiliency to immediately spread anybending pressure along their length parallel to. the hinge line into one or more waves "w, as in F1g..-9. The wires are all spaced one from another and from the hinge line but i co'nnected by flexible parts of the cover ma.-

terial. Thepressure is thus spread'not only lengthwise but also transversely from one wiretoa-nother and'to the metal hinge. The latter is constructed to bend and its'parts all have a little play for ease of operation,

and this helps spread'the bending'effect. 'The result of this pressure distribution is that the localized pressure force ofthe rings 7 against the cover promptly'acts over a prehen it determined area of sufficient extent to objliterate all detrimental efi'e'ct'at any localized point. The'action'is'somewhat like a good bed spring which will always yield under pressure but'never take a permanent impression and will, on account of its resiliency, return'immediatelyto its original fiat-shape.

Iniflexible cover-constructions this yield- Ting' action contributes to thedesired efi'cct of having-flexibility right down to the hinge line. Bymy wire construction I avoid a compromise cover, such as is stiff from the hinge line outwardly far enough to protect against the ring, and flexible in there'st of the cover.

The flexible cover of my construction has all the advantages 1n appearance of asingle 'plyleatherfco'ver "and when combined with the stiff binder back it makes the same simple, neat combination that it did before any protecting means against ring pressure was added to the combination. It is a construction oflow cost since leather splitting ma- ,,chines are available to prepare the covers economically to receive the wires and the wires are of course quite inexpensive.

' ..I have shown in Fig. 7 a substitute for the wires} It is a flat fand very thinpiece of spring steel 16 to cover the zone a, Z2, 0, a? of the cover, and obviouslyyplaced 1n the cover in the same general manneras the wires.

is used some of the flexibility of the wire :construction is lost. But to a considerable extentit has the same advantages. It inaybe'inser'ted 1n the cover over the same areaa's the wires and it is preferable to see that its inner edge is spaced away from the hinge line enough to leave the flexibility the twoit is muchbetter. The plate will have less tendency toCraise' an objectionable ridge in the outsidehsurfaces of-very thin leather covers or the like of singlewply' when split for the insertion of the protectorgplate. The thin metal plateniay in some instances be out longitudinally in parallel slits, leav ing an uncut'marginall aroundthe pla edge. This will make it more nearly like the wires spaced apart and it -will be more flexible. i I I c In thebinder construction I have shown, the rings can in no. event'make any impression onthe cover in the space between the metalcover hinge and the inner lineof the spring plate- Thelatterhas a width at least sufficient to protect'th-e cover in the critical anglesto the back. And preferably thewidth of the plate is nomore than is necessary for the critical zone. If this is taken into consideration it willbe seen-that the spring'plate which both a flat, thinpiece ofspring steel and also wires "are used over a larger region in each cover than in the other modifications.

zone which is about where therings contact I with the cover when the latter is at right In this arrangement the flat piecel6 may be as narrow as in the modificationshown in 'Fig. 7. It islocated. where the covers bear piece 16 cantake the pressure at this most severe region. And the rest of area beyond the fiat piece may be providedwith wires 10 to avoid any markingof the cover over the edge of the plate if pressed tightly. In

some cases it may not be desirableto provide more than the very narrow fiat piece to spread the ringpressure when. the binder book is closedand. gripped. Then the wires shown" in the Fig. 8 'modificationmay be omitted. In sucha case it willbe seen'that the narrow plate. is spaced a considerable distance from the hinge line, and is so narrow that r the 'covenfiexibi lity is 'retainedto a remarkable degree. As the cover is bent over sharply on its hinge therewill always be a chance for the plate 16 to rock around with the cover.- Thisisimportantand is'provided for by the flexible linebetween the hinge and 1 metal plate l6. V r

The particular area rub, 0, d,.as shown,

may of'course be varied by the number and spacing of. the wires orthe area of the flat spring steel piece. In any variation I'consider it of particularimportance to have seine space or bending line between the hinge line and the metal parts of the pressure spread- :ing means and particularly between any metal hinge parts andsaid other'metal parts. Unless this is done the flexibility of the cover adjacent the hinge line is largelydestroyed.

And ifthat is done the coverdoes not serve its functionas particularly desiredyit being desirable where flexiblecovers are 'used to avoid the feeling in actual use that they have any other predetermined hinge line than the actual one (on each side)immedi-' ately adjacent theback.

aving fully disclosed my invention,I'

a pocket parallel to the top and bottom surfaces of the cover and tothe hinge edge and extending ashort distance outwardly from the hinge line, hinge members being fastened on to the adjacent edges or lips of said pockets to hold them tightly together with'outianything between such lips so as to make the pockets invisible, and parts of thin flexible material made of spring metal. extending lengthwise and inside-of the pockets and along thecovers where the binder rings contact the surface of the pockets'whereby any pressure oftheriiigs against the. flexible covers will be spread .out by the spring metal and the desiredthin and smooth appearance of'the flexible covers will-be retained.

2.IIn abinder of the ring book typehav-.

ing a back and flexible covers hingedthereto, the combination of covers made. up of'a single ply for each cover, narrow hinges of thin metal fastening the covers toopposite edges of the back, each cover having its hinge edge split to form a pocket parallel to-the top andbottom surfaces of the cover and to the hinge edge and extending a short distance outwardly from the hinge edge, said metal hinges being fastened on to the adjacent edges or lips of said pockets to hold them tightly together without anything between such lips and so as to make the pockets invisible, and long strips of resilient material lying in said pocketsand of such small thick ness as to avoid bulging said pockets to any substantial extent,'said strips being spaced from the hinge lines and lying in those regions of the covers where the binder rings have a tendency to press the covers out of shape. x

3. In a binder of'the ring book type having a back and flexible covers each made up of "a single ply hinged tothe back, the combinationofcovers having a series of spring wires laid nside each'cover ad acent its hinge line and parallel thereto, said wires being rings when the cover is pressed against andto distribute said pressure.

4. In a binder of. the ring book type them hav-

ing a back .andflexible covers each made' arranged to receive pressure from the'binder' spaced from the closed edges'and lying only in those regions of the cover where the binder ringshave a tendency'tostrike through as the binder isclosed. V v

5. In a binder of the ring book type having a back and flexible covers hinged thereto by metal hinges having staples spaced along the outer edge to fasten the hinge to the'cover on both sides of its inner edge, the combination ofthe metal hinges having staples, and the covers, 'eachhaving an'invisible pocket closed by said staples, and in said pocket'lying,

between the surfaces of the cover aspr1n'gmetal means spacedfromthe metal of the hinge adjacent any contact of'therings with the cover, said spring means being spread over in such thin form as to retain the desired flexibility of the cover and fadaptedgto return the cover near the hinge line to flat form after severe pressure from the rings against the cover. a

' 6. In avbinder of the ring book type hav ing a back'andflexible covers hinged thereto, the combination of the back and covers, each cover being formed of thin, flexible material and having an incision made along its inner edge portion'parallel to its top and bottom surfaces and resilient material in said incision for laminated arrangement with the cover material, means joining the cover to the binder and closing said incision, the resilient material being spaced away from such joining means. 1 I i 7 A loose leaf book of the ring binder type including flexible covers of single ply material withincisions along their inner edges extending outwardly a distance about equal to half the diameter of the rings for holding the, sheets, thinstripsof hard resilient material pocketed by said incisionsand invisibly lying in position to spread any pressure from the rings against the flexible covers, narrow hinge strips of thin, flat metal attached, along the inner edges of the covers and clamping the incisions closed, said thin strips and hinge parts being independent except as joined by the cover material, the covers presenting an appearance; of simple single .ply thickness plate and spread over the region or zone? 7 with flat surfaces from the hinge line outwardly.

8. A loose leaf book of the ring binder type including flexible covers of single ply material with incisions along their inner edges, hard, resilient and thin inserts pocketed by the incisions and located to take the pressure of the rings when the book is closed, hinges fastened along the inner edges of the covers with gripping means to hold the incisions closed, said flexible covers with their invisible inserts presenting flexible portions between the hinges and the inserts, and a substantially uniform thickness and uniformly flat surfaces. 7 V

9. The method of making a cover for a loose leaf book which consits in splitting a single ply of soft flexible material along its inner edge and so that the inner leaf of the W split portion is thinner than the outer leaf, inserting in said split a short distance back of the edge, a narrow thin strip of hard flexible material, closing the split portions tightly together while pressing the said outer leaf, on a flat surface and pressing the inner leaf to take the impression of the narrow strip and then attaching a metallic hinge strip which embraces both inner and outer surfaces of the cover along the tightly closed split edge. I

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

JOHN SOHADE.

til; 

